| Petitioned Status Offense Cases |
| Q: |
Do trends in the number of detained status cases vary by offense? |
| A: |
The number of petitioned status offense cases involving detention decreased for all offenses since 2005. |
It is important to note that 2020 was the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have impacted policies, procedures, and data collection activities regarding referrals to and processing of youth by juvenile courts. Additionally, stay-at-home orders and school closures likely impacted the volume and type of law-violating behavior by youth referred to juvenile court in 2020.
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- Juvenile courts sometimes hold youth in secure detention facilities during processing of their case. Depending on the State's detention laws, the court may decide detention is necessary to ensure the youth's appearance at subsequent court hearings, to protect the community from the youth, or to secure the juvenile's own safety. Detention may also be ordered for the purpose of evaluating the youth.
- The number of petitioned status offense cases involving detention decreased for all offenses since 2005. The relative decline was greater for curfew (94%) and liquor law violation (91%) cases than for ungovernability (88%), runaway (85%), and truancy (82%) cases.
Internet citation: OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. Online. Available: https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/court/qa06702.asp?qaDate=2020.
Released on January 10, 2023.
Data Source: National Juvenile Court Data Archive. National Center for Juvenile Justice. Pittsburgh, PA.
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